April 11th, afternoon.
The towering, three-storey-tall, ogre-masked yokai Tsuchigumo stood blocking the entrance to Nijo Castle's Inner Citadel Palace, staring up at the overcast sky.
"Tsuchigumo, what are you thinking about here?"
The fox yokai Hakuzōzu, with his oni horns, demon mask, and Sengoku-era armour, looked curiously at the seven-metre-tall giant.
Then, Tsuchigumo's deep, rumbling voice sounded:
"Who set up this barrier around Nijo Castle?"
"Barrier?"
Hakuzōzu raised his head to observe the gloomy sky.
As a fox yokai, he possessed the innate ability to divine weather patterns, so he knew today should have been a scorching, clear day.
Yet within Nijo Castle, the sky remained perpetually overcast.
This was the effect of the barrier.
"It was probably that barrier master called Tenkai Gokadoin. You remember him, right? That monk called Tenkai from back then."
"Hoh, so it's him. The monk who trailed behind that brat, Tokugawa Ieyasu. Heh heh heh... Not a bad opponent."
Tsuchigumo seemed unable to suppress a few chuckles by the end, but Hakuzōzu realised the laughter was actually the sound of the giant's bulging muscles shifting.
'This monster... Is he itching for a fight again?'
Hakuzōzu knew Tsuchigumo well. This guy wasn't actually a member of the Hagoromo Group—he'd been defeated by Nue, by the living Abe no Seimei, a thousand years ago. He'd only joined the Hagoromo Group to seek another battle with Seimei.
Thus, the things the Hagoromo Group's executives cared about meant little to Tsuchigumo.
Keeping this in mind, Hakuzōzu felt compelled to warn him:
"Hey now, Tsuchigumo, this is the critical moment for Nue's birth. Don't screw things up at a time like this!"
Tsuchigumo abruptly turned his head towards Hakuzōzu, making the fox yokai's heart race as he braced for an attack.
But then, Tsuchigumo muttered:
"...I know."
"The barrier master may be interesting, but fighting Nue is more important."
Hearing this, Hakuzōzu quietly sighed in relief.
But the next moment, Tsuchigumo added nonchalantly:
"However, after the battle with Nue, we can make some arrangements."
"For example, that Orochi no Chi, and Nue's child—what was his name, Yoshihira? Their strength is quite impressive, giving me a strong sense of threat."
"Oh, and besides them, that Hiruko Gokadoin fellow, and the Tenkai you mentioned earlier—they're all decent opponents too."
Hearing this, Hakuzōzu's lips twitched involuntarily. 'This battle maniac... Is he planning to challenge the entire Gokadoin House, starting from the first-generation Seimei all the way down?'
'Just how twisted is this battle junkie's thought process?'
Just as Hakuzōzu struggled to suppress his urge to complain, Tsuchigumo stroked his chin and continued:
"Hmm, and that woman who assigned our defensive positions earlier—Sharon, was it? She seems pretty strong, too. Let's add her to the list."
At this point, Hakuzōzu couldn't bear to listen any longer. He feared Tsuchigumo might even challenge him next.
"Since you've got your plans, I won't disturb you further. Just make sure no one breaches the Inner Citadel Palace and disrupts the lord's resurrection."
With that, Hakuzōzu fled without hesitation.
Tsuchigumo, now distracted by the mention of potential intruders, grinned savagely:
"Intruders? I can already smell them... The scent of the strong!!!"
...
On a skyscraper near Nijō Castle.
Luo Shu stood before the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing at the distant castle. His vision seemed to pierce through the barrier, observing the figures within.
They were Onmyoji and Great Yokai, each radiating intense Spiritual Power or Fear. Through his spiritual perception, the white Spiritual Power and black Fear transformed Nijō Castle into a world of contrasting shades.
"It seems our enemies have completed their military formation," Luo Shu remarked with a smile, pointing at the castle. "Everyone, observe the situation carefully. Confirm your objectives and precautions. Once we enter, no mistakes."
At his words, whether it was the Nura Clan's Great Yokai, the Bujin-shū's martial artists, or the Council's Pureblood Vampires, all gathered behind Luo Shu to assess the battlefield...
"My, my, this layout... The clear division between yin and yang—is this the Twofold Four Symbols Grand Barrier?" Hidemoto Keikain, the Onmyōjutsu expert, explained cheerfully after prolonged observation:
"With this barrier's containment, even if the entire Nijō Castle area were obliterated, the outside world wouldn't notice. It seems they're prepared for a fight to the death."
Shin Natsume sneered coldly. "Looks like they learned from last time's lesson."
Suzuka Dairenji added, "I've seen this barrier at the Onmyou Agency. Within the Four Symbols Barrier, energy-based attacks like Spiritual Power are suppressed, reducing destructive power. So if possible, prioritise close combat over energy projection."
From the back, Rihan Nura chuckled meaningfully: "Ho ho, so they're trying to stop us from levelling the castle outright and disrupting the ritual, eh?"
"How cautious... the Gokadoin clan..."
"Though I doubt he expected us to employ targeted assassination this time, still?"
As he spoke, Nura Rihan glanced at Luo Shu with a faint smile.
Compared to others present, he knew more. He understood that in Luo Shu's previously outlined plan, the target for elimination wasn't Hagoromo Gitsune, but rather the soon-to-be-born Nue - Abe no Seimei.
He could hardly wait to see the expression on that Great Onmyoji's face after lurking in hell for a thousand years.
Under everyone's gaze, Luo Shu calmly turned his back to Nijo Castle and addressed the group:
"I'll keep this brief."
"Proceed to your assigned positions based on the lottery. Eliminate all enemies in sight."
"May fortune favour your blades!"
As his words fell, figures leapt into the air like lightning bolts, streaking straight towards Nijo Castle -
Then.
They came crashing down!